Photographer Richard Avedon and his work

Well-known fashion photographer Stephen Meisel Once upon a time, once in childhood, being fascinated by the world of fashion and photography, he persuaded his girlfriends to call a modeling agency and arrange a photo shoot, he was then interested in such models as Twiggy, Verushka, whom he simply admired. But his friends were supposed to introduce themselves in this children's adventure as secretaries of photographer Richard Avedon, an iconic photographer not only in the world of fashion photography, but in the world of photography as a whole. It is no coincidence that Richard Avedon, according to Popular Photographers magazine, became the best photographer of the twentieth century.

In photography, Richard Avedon has always been interested in portraiture. However, both in photography and in painting, the portrait is the most alluring and at the same time the most difficult genre. After all, people most often like to look at people. But it is very difficult to convey the inner world of a person, his state, emotions, thoughts at the moment, the moment frozen in a portrait. Richard Avedon succeeded brilliantly, on his camera he captured both famous people from the world of art: fashion, cinema, pop, and from the world of politics. Richard Avedon has photographed politicians from Eisenhower to Hillary Clinton. Among his photographs, you can find portraits of the artists Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe look at us from his portraits.

To some extent, some will think, Richard Avedon was lucky, he lived and worked in an era when the world was still dominated by black and white film. Now, in the 21st century world, accustomed to color images, we very often admire black and white photographs. But in the photographs of Richard Avedon, both color and black and white, there is one feature - they feel the hand of a master and talent.

Richard Avedon was born in New York on May 15, 1923, was born into a fairly wealthy Jewish family. His ancestors emigrated to America from Russia at the end of the 19th century.

As a child, Richard was fond of poetry: he participated in the publication of a school newspaper, became a laureate of a poetry competition among schoolchildren in New York. He was also interested in Russian literature and poetry. Growing up, Richard Avedon begins to take a great interest in photography, but enters the philosophy department of Columbia University, which soon, nevertheless, gives up. Richard Avedon understands that photography should be his life's work. But after leaving the university, Richard first serves in the army, in the marines, his service falls on the years of World War II, and only after serving, in 1944, begins to actively engage in photography. He works as an advertising photographer and builds his own portfolio.

And as a result, Richard Avedon demonstrates his portfolio to the art director of the fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar Alexei Brodovich, a designer and sculptor. They begin a joint collaboration, and Richard also simultaneously learns the skill from Brodovich.

Since 1946, he has been working for Harper's Bazaar magazine, opening his own photo studio. From 1966 to 1990 he worked as a staff photographer at Vogue. Since 1992 he has been collaborating with The New Yorker weekly.

Richard Avedon's photographs have also been published in albums. So the album "Avedon: The Sixties" ("Sixties") includes photographs of members of the Anti-War movement, photographs of the Beatles, Twiggy's models, by artist Andy Warhol. In 1976, the album "The Family" was published, which collected portraits of politicians and businessmen. Then there is an album called "In the American West" ("American West").

And on October 1, 2004, the great photographer left our world, but his work will remain with us forever ...